November 2017 Notable News

All cancer, on a very basic level, is the same. It is the uncontrolled growth of cells. However, each type of cancer varies greatly and that is why early detection and individualized treatment is so important for patient health and survival. Fortunately, research breakthroughs come along every day that help pave the way to successful, individualized treatment.

A breakthrough in breast cancer research has come from an unlikely place, reports al.com. For his winning science fair project, high school senior Kenneth Jiao researched breast cancer and made a discovery that may help stop the spread of the disease to other organs. Through his research, Kenneth discovered that the CHD7 gene and it’s molecular processes may prevent metastasis. Kenneth’s project was inspired by a breast cancer scare his mother had a couple of years ago. His mother’s tumor turned out to be benign, but the worry and fear Kenneth felt during that time motivated him to look for ways to prevent the disease. Kenneth earned a $3,000 scholarship for his win and is moving on to the final round of competition in Washington, D.C. where he could end up winning $100,000 in scholarship money. You can learn more about Kenneth and his science fair experience here.

Researchers may have found an easier way to find successful, individualized cancer treatment by experimenting on tiny replicas of unhealthy cancer cells called tumoroids, reports economist.com. The tumoroids, which were developed from the cells of eight liver cancer patients, are unique in that they contain only cancerous cells. Traditionally cultured cells are often mixed with healthy cells, which can affect the results of the genetic analysis. Along with gaining a better understanding of the cancerous cells, the research team is using the tumoroids to test anti-cancer drugs. The hope is that, eventually, replicas will be made of individual patients’ cells which will then be examined and tested to determine personalized treatment options. Find more information about the tumoroid research, here.

About 70 percent of women diagnosed with the most frequently occurring type of ovarian cancer are diagnosed with an advanced stage of the disease, but according to cancer.gov new research may help to change that. A new study reveals that the most common ovarian cancer, known as HGSOC, may begin as lesions in the fallopian tubes several years before the start of ovarian cancer, which means there is a potential for early detection. The new study supports and expands on a study done ten years ago that identified fallopian tube lesions in women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. The evidence now shows that HGSOC originates from the fallopian tube lesions whether the BRCA mutations are present or not. Not all ovarian cancers originate from the fallopian tube lesions and more research needs to be done, but there is hope for the possibility of early diagnosis and prevention. More details about the study and further research can be found here.

There are thousands of species of bacteria that live in and on our bodies and the ones living in our stomach, our stomach microbiome, may be a major factor in the risk of tumor development, according to new research reported by worldwidecancerresearch.org. The study shows a link between the microbial diversity of the stomach and varying health conditions — some cancerous and some not — and while many factors are involved in gastric cancer development, the study shows that the stomach microbiome may be one of those factors. Understanding and being able to change stomach bacteria may one day lead to the prevention or treatment of stomach cancer. Learn more about the exciting microbiome discovery here.

Check back next month for more exciting breakthroughs and in the meantime, keep up with the latest at PEN here.